Dec 27, 2013

Prof. GP Dubey BHU gets patent for ayurvedic medicine

A professor from the famous Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has secured a
US patent for his ayurvedic medicine that claims to slow down the
ageing process, works in prevention and management of senile dementia
and age-related neurodegenerative changes. A Chennai-based firm is all
set to start commercial production of the medicine.
Prof. G.P. Dubey, professor emeritus of the faculty of ayurveda,
Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS)-BHU, who has obtained the patent on
products prepared out of three medicinal plants — Bacopa monnieri,
Dioscorea bulbifera, and Hippophae rhamnoides — said that the medicine
would be affordable for the common man.
The professor told reporters in Varanasi that global attention is
gradually shifting to traditional forms of medicine to meet the health
care needs of the general population and India has a rich tradition in
the ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine.
He said that several multinational companies were trying to exploit the rich national heritage by patenting Indian knowledge.
“The Chinese government has promoted Chinese traditional medicine and
succeeded in obtaining approvals from the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA),” he said.
The professor disclosed that Arvind Remedies Limited, a Chennai-based
company, has entered into an agreement with the BHU for exporting the
drug and the company will pay royalty to the BHU and other collaborative
organisations.
The University Grants Commission, the department of Ayush and the
department of science and technology, government of India, have provided
substantial financial support to bring the drug into the market.
“BHU vice-chancellor Lalji Singh helped me get support from the Centre
for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Genome Foundation,
Hyderabad. The BHU V-C had also paved way for good laboratory practice
(GLP) compliance lab, molecular biology lab, and also a sophisticated
molecular biology lab at the IMS-BHU, where both modern and ayurveda
faculties could utilise central facilities,” he said.
Prof. Dubey said that China has patented many medicinal plants of Indian origin which was a matter of concern.
“Though the ayurvedic system of medicine is richer than any other system, it could not be promoted globally,” he said.